A bright flash from his falchion here revealed the peril that he threatened.

“Miserere mei—­Oh,—­Salve et!”—­

“Silence, knave, and pass quickly; but remember, if I catch thee devising any sleight or shuffle, this sharp point shall quicken thee to thy work.  It may prove mighty efficacious, too, as a restorative for a lapsed memory.”

“I’ll tell thee all!—­but—­hold that weapon a little back, I prithee.  Nay—­nay, thou wouldest not compass a poor man’s death in such haste.”

“Lead on, then, but be discreet,” said De Poininges, softly, at the same time pushing him forward at his sword’s point.

“Here is some help to mine errand, or my craft fails me this bout.”

After many qualms and wry faces, De Poininges, by piecemeal, acquired the following intelligence:—­

One night, this honest clerk being with a friend on a predatory excursion to the prior’s storehouse, they heard a muffled shriek and a sharp scuffle at some distance.  Being outside the building, and fearing detection, they ran to hide themselves under a detached shed, used as a depository for firewood and stray lumber.  Towards this spot, however, the other parties were evidently approaching.  Presently three or four men, whom they judged to be the prior’s servants, came nigh, bearing a female.  They entered into the shed, and proceeded to remove a large heap of turf.  Underneath seemed to be one of those subterraneous communications generally contrived as a retreat in times of peril; at any rate, they disappeared through the opening, and the clerk and his worthy associate effected their escape unobserved.

Fear of detection, and of the terrible retribution that would follow, hitherto kept the secret undivulged.  There could be little doubt that this female was Margaret de la Bech; and her person, whether living or dead, had become a victim to the well-known lawless disposition of the prior.

They were now at the entrance to a low gateway, from which a short path to the left led them directly towards the spot.  Entering the shed, they commenced a diligent search; but the terror and confusion of the clerk had prevented such accuracy of observation as could enable him to discover the opening, which they in vain attempted to find, groping their way suspiciously in the dark.

“Softly, softly!” said the clerk, listening.  A low murmur came from the opposite corner, like the muttering of one holding audible communion with his own spirit.  De Poininges listened too, and he fancied it was a female voice.  Presently he heard one of those wild and uncouth ditties, a sort of chant or monotonous song, which, to the terrified psalm-singer, sounded like the death-wail of some unfortunate ghost.

The following words only became sufficiently distinct:—­

    “The sunbeam came on a billow of flame,
      But its light, like thine, is done: 
    Life’s tangled coil, with all its toil,
      Is broken ere ’tis run.